Opioid addiction remains high in Pierce County. Will a new $1.6M mobile program help?
The Pierce County Human Services department recently was awarded a $1.6 million grant to fund a mobile unit to provide outreach and treatment services to residents struggling with substance abuse.
The vision is to have a van parked in various parts of the county where residents can pick up prescriptions and get connected to medical care, among other services and support, county behavioral health manager Margo Burnison told The News Tribune on Nov. 26.
Using federal funding related to opioid-settlement dollars, the Pierce County Mobile Opioid Outreach and Treatment program will focus on harm-reduction and counseling services, addressing an issue that isn’t improving in Pierce County, Burnison said.
The van might start its rounds early next year and will serve between 300 and 400 people a month, with the expectation that some residents will be repeat users, Burnison said. Studies have shown that meeting people where they are in their recovery, and close to where they live, makes people more likely to accept help and get connected to services, she said.
Opioid-related overdoses have been the most common cause of accidental death in Pierce County since 2020. Last year overdose calls were recorded in nearly every part of the county, according to the Human Services department.
While the state and other parts of the country have seen some reductions in opioid-related deaths, that’s not the case in Pierce County, Burnison said.
From 2016 to 2023 Pierce County saw a 220% increase in opioid-related deaths and a 174% increase in deaths from any drug overdose, according to the Human Services department. Monthly emergency response calls in Pierce County due to possible overdose also increased by 218% from 2020 to 2024.
According to the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, more than 800 people in Pierce County died of a drug overdose between January 2021 and June 2023. The Pierce County Emergency Medical System (EMS) responded to 3,312 suspected opioid overdose calls between January 2023 and May 2024 alone.
Transportation cited as big issue
Transportation access is one of the top issues preventing people getting connected to help, said Brunson, citing conversations with community providers and those who have experienced substance use.
Pierce County had plans to put out mobile units to provide substance-abuse outreach in places where there are limited or no services, but this grant speeds up that process, she said. The funding also allows the county to shift resources where they’re needed elsewhere.
The county is still figuring out where the van will visit, but Bonney Lake has identified a need, Burnison said. Pierce County would likely park the van next to places that offer other services, like food banks and in areas with limited bus service, she said.
Funding for the grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant and Substance Use Site-Based Program is set to expire in June 2027. Burnison said the county can reapply for the grant but accepted this funding knowing it has an expiration date.
Moving forward the county will try to absorb projects like the van into existing programs and systems at a county level, as well as looking to other programs, in addition to insurance and Medicaid, to cover the cost when grant funding expires, Burnison said.
As reported by The News Tribune in August, Pierce County is still without a physical behavioral health crisis center, leaving people in crisis with nowhere to go except the emergency room or jail in many cases.
Burnison said the department is trying to reduce the stigma surrounding behavioral healthcare and its many parts, including mental health care, substance-use treatment and homelessness. She said it’s important for people to know that not everyone receiving care is experiencing homelessness and said substance use changes a person’s brain chemistry, often producing a physical and psychological response.
“Any services that we do that help prevent people from having a crisis will be a benefit to our community,” Burnison said.
This story was originally published November 27, 2024 at 5:15 AM.
